St. Joseph, Fairfield Prep renew football rivalry Friday

Updated 12:03 pm, Friday, September 20, 2013

There are certain moments in every season that seem to have a lasting impact on a player. They can be positive. They can be negative. They can serve as motivational tools for the future.

The members of the St. Joseph football team vividly remember how last season ended. The Cadets did not execute many of the same plays that they had throughout the first 10 games and were outplayed by Hillhouse in a 34-14 loss in the CIAC Class M quarterfinals.

An eight-win season could not sooth the sting of that defeat, leaving a sense of unfinished business heading into this season. St. Joseph returns eight starters on offense and six on defense. Together, the Cadets hope to complete this season by celebrating the 11th state championship in program history.

"They were here the last time we won a championship, and they want to be a part of the group of St. Joe's players that did win a championship," St. Joseph coach Joe Della Vecchia said. "So they're really hungry for that. We've got a long way to go before we can really, really focus on that, but I think it's in the back of their minds that every week is one step closer to that goal."

The Cadets (1-0) have not won a state championship since earning back-to-back titles under Della Vecchia in 2009 (Class SS) and 2010 (Class S). They will continue their pursuit of their goal on the road Friday night when they face Fairfield Prep (1-0) at Alumni Field at 6.

St. Joseph, which defeated Notre Dame-West Haven 47-28 in its opener, enters the game ranked No. 5 in state coaches' poll and No. 7 in the state media poll.

"Everybody works hard," said St. Joseph senior quarterback Jordan Vazzano, who is considering attending Brown, Yale and Princeton. "We've got a lot of leaders. We've got a lot of kids that give it their all every single time they step on the field. So I really feel like we can win a state championship this year.''

In the wake of passing a stiff test against ND-WH last week, the Cadets will face another tonight against Fairfield Prep. The Jesuits rolled past Stamford 28-0 in their opener.

This will be the first meeting between the former MBIAC and All-Connecticut Conference rivals since Fairfield Prep earned an 18-12 win in 1993. The Jesuits hold a 15-11-3 edge in the series.

"It's going to be a real physical game, I can tell you that," Fairfield Prep two-way senior lineman Tony Fox said. "I know our school is excited. Their school is excited for it. This is more than just a regular game for us. This is like a natural rival. And our coach (Tom Shea), who went to Prep, he remembers playing against St. Joe's. So this isn't just a game for us. This is a game for the alumni, too.''

A large crowd is expected tonight. Fox said that Della Vecchia called Shea last Sunday during a team meeting to ask him to "send over a few hundred tickets.''

Shea, who is in his fourth season at Fairfield Prep, said this is statement-type game for the Jesuits. They, too, are looking to reach the state playoffs this season, especially after missing the postseason a year ago with a 6-4 record.

"They've worked very hard for the last year and they see the progress that they've made and they're excited to go out and play,'' Shea said. "We have not beaten a top-10 team since I've been here. So if we can do that, we'll be making a very positive statement.''

One of the primary battles in the game will be waged in the trenches. Fairfield Prep boasts a sizeable offensive line, led by the Fordham-bound Fox (6-foot-2, 258 pounds), senior right tackle Mike Ruther (6-7, 290) and junior left tackle Anthony Palazollo (6-6, 305), who has a scholarship offer from UConn.

"I think the biggest problem is their size,'' Della Vecchia said. "They're a lot bigger than we are. They get off the ball and they come after you.''

Fox said the Jesuits will look to control the ball better than they did against Stamford. Offensively, they are led by junior quarterback Colton Smith, senior Andrew Vegliante and junior Joe Ganim at running back and junior John DelliSanti and sophomore Brendan Beiser at wide receiver.

Fairfield Prep is optimistic that it will be able to have success running the ball after watching Cameron Tucker of Notre Dame-West Haven rush for 242 yards and score four touchdowns against St. Joseph last week.

"We've got a big, strong line and they're going to have to get a real push if we're going to have success running the ball,'' Shea said. "I think they can, but they have to show they can do it.''

Defensively, Fairfield Prep must find a way to contain the high-powered Cadets offense that features a wealth of experience and playmakers.

Vazzano, who is one of top players in the state in his position at 6-3 and 225 pounds, threw for 201 yards and accounted for five touchdowns (one rush) against Notre Dame-West Haven. Junior running back Mufasa Abdul-Basir rushed for 118 yards and one touchdown; junior wide receiver Lars Pedersen had five receptions for 92 yards and scored three touchdowns (83-yard kickoff return); and senior wide receiver Shane Miller and senior tight end Mark Hirschbeck are multi-year starters.

"They've got a great back. We have to tackle well,'' Shea said. "They've got great receivers. We've got to defend the pass well and put some pressure on. They have some great downfield threats. There's challenges everywhere. They're a very good team.''

Both teams enter the game confident in their abilities. Both teams possess a multitude of talent. One team will remain unbeaten.

"I expect it to be a really good game,'' Vazzano said. "Two really good teams. They're big and they've got a lot of athletes. And so do we. So I think it should be a good game.''